FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 18, 2002, 1:00 a.m. Bring It! Back-To-School Pep Rally Announced BARNES PLACE (ATLANTA, GEORGIA) - The Social Secretary announced today the next Barnes Place Blowout event, "Bring It!", a back-to-school pep rally and school supply drive to take place on the evening of Saturday, August 3. Guests are asked to bring the beverage of their choice and school supplies to be donated to the Atlanta Community Food Bank's program, Kids in Need. The event will begin with the Pledge of Allegiance at 8:05 p.m. "You just don't know the impact you can make on someone's life when you're dealing with poverty," said Judy Stamps, director of Kids in Need. "There are children who have never experienced the smell of a new box of crayons. The only crayons they have known are the scraps they collect. And when these kids get their first box they can call their own, they just simply cherish it, and care for it like it's precious." "It's always seemed frivolous to get together with friends just for the purpose of eating and drinking," said Barnes Place Co-Director Timothy State. "Especially today, when there are so many people around us right here in our community who could use a helping hand. What good are the freedoms we enjoy when we have children all around us living in poverty?" Kids in Need is open to schools with a large percentage of students in free or reduced lunch programs. In Atlanta, there are over 100 schools with over 90% of the students enrolled in lunch programs. Through this program, brand new supplies are distributed to children, which helps to build confidence and self-esteem. Last year, Kids in Need distributed just under $1.0 million in supplies to 134 Atlanta Metro schools, helping over 155,000 children. Of those supplies, over 326,000 pencils were distributed. "There are children in our schools who can't perform well on tests because there simply are not enough Number 2 pencils in some classrooms," added Stamps. Bring It! will be the usual Barnes Place party, with lots of food, beverage, and an eclectic mix of people. To R.S.V.P., e-mail to social.secretary@barnesplace.com, or visit the website at http://www.barnesplace.com/eventa/bring_it/. More information and suggested school supply donations can also be found on Barnes Place.com. --END--